Posted on 08/31/25
| News Source: FOX45
Annapolis, MD - Aug. 31, 2025 - Before National Guard troops even stepped foot in Washington, D.C., leaders in Maryland have pushed back on the idea of the same thing happening here. The controversy has grabbed national headlines as Gov. Wes Moore and President Donald Trump sparred publicly about crime in Baltimore and now, FOX45 News spoke with Gov. Moore about the situation.
Gov. Moore has maintained that he does not believe the National Guard is trained to patrol the streets of Baltimore; he has said it during several interviews on national television and in various statements when asked whether he would authorize the use in Maryland.
Data from the police in Washington, D.C. shows carjackings are down 87% since the federal surge of resources, however, and a 45% reduction in violent crime in the district.
“I absolutely want federal assistance,” Gov. Moore said, but not in the form of the National Guard, “because the National Guard is not an effective form of federal assistance.”
Instead, he wants federal resources like more funding and dedicated staff for FBI and ATF offices in Maryland. Touting investments his administration has made in local law enforcement and noting Maryland funds the U.S. Attorney’s Office to turn many cases federal, Gov. Moore said “there’s a whole lot” that he would like for federal assistance – just as long as it’s not the National Guard.
In D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser recently said the surge in federal law enforcement from President Trump has in fact lowered crime in the nation’s capital.
“We greatly appreciate the surge of officers that enhance what MPD has been able to do in this city,” she said at a news conference on Aug. 27. "We know that when carjackings go down, when the use of guns goes down, when homicide or robbery go down, neighborhoods feel safer and are safer.”
So, this surge has been important to us for that reason, DC Mayor Bowser said at a recent news conference.
When asked how he argued with the data from DC, Gov. Moore didn’t specifically answer. Instead, he said he would love to have a “serious conversation” with the White House about what’s on his wish list for resources in Maryland.
“If we want to talk about, OK, here's capital, here's money. How would you use it and what do you think is the most effective way to use it in the City of Baltimore or in the State of Maryland? I can give you a full list of things that I would love to be able to work with them on,” he said.
You know what - they can do whatever they want in Washington, DC but in Maryland, in our state, I believe that we can have a real core strategy to work together to be able to utilize federal supports to kind of continue driving the kind of results, the encouraging results that we're seeing but that's not what we're hearing from the White House, right, Gov. Moore said.
The tune from DC Mayor Bowser has changed a bit since the start of President Trump’s surge. Thursday, a group of Democratic governors – including Gov. Moore – issued a joint statement lambasting the “threats and efforts” to deploy the National Guard without a governor’s request and consent, calling it “an alarming abuse of power.”
“Whether it’s Illinois, Maryland and New York, or another state tomorrow, the President’s threats and efforts to deploy a state’s National Guard without the request and consent of that state’s governor is an alarming abuse of power, ineffective, and undermines the mission of our service members,” the statement said.
Gov. Moore said he respects Bowser’s opinion when asked if he agrees with her latest comments noting the surge in resources have helped reduce crime in DC.
“I also think there's a there's a distinction between saying we welcome federal supports, and we want to mobilize the National Guard,” he added.
Gov. Moore invited President Trump to visit Baltimore to see what has been happening on the ground and the efforts to reduce violent crime. However, that invitation was met with more criticism from President Trump, who called Baltimore a “hellhole.”
“I want to walk with you too someday but first you gotta clean up your crime,” President Trump said.
The argument between the two leaders isn’t personal, Gov. Moore claimed, but he did call President Trump “President Bone Spurs.” When that was pointed out, Gov. Moore glossed over it and kept talking about how he will continue to fight for the people of Maryland.
“I’m going to fight for my people. When I’m hearing attacks on my state and on our state’s largest city, things like hellscape and hellhole and death scapeI feel like the federal government that our state is under attack from the federal government,” he said. “But if the President of the United States wants to have a serious conversation about not to fight us, but to fight for us, I would be very excited to have that conversation with him.”
Since the Guard’s deployment in DC, Gov. Moore has made at least nine national television appearances talking about why he doesn’t want the National Guard and the fight with President Trump. He’s also been asked a few times about whether he’s going to run for president himself in 2028 and President Trump has made comments about how Moore may be a contender.
“My only concern is that people in Maryland. That's it, and that's what I'm fighting for,” Gov. Moore said when asked if the fight with President Trump was good for the people of Maryland or good for his political career. “You're never gonna hear me talk about what this means for me personally. It's only about what it means for our folks.”